A Judge Just Ruled Kesha Has to Stay on Dr. Luke's Label

The singer's allegations against the producer have finally come to trial.

A New York City judge has ruled that Kesha won't be allowed an injunction against Dr. Luke, the producer whom she alleges drugged, raped, and continued to abuse her over the course of a decade. It's the latest blow against Kesha's fight for freedom from the producer's label, which she's been trying to leave for over a year.

"You're asking the court to decimate a contract that was heavily negotiated and typical for the industry," New York Supreme Court Justice Shirley Kornreich told Kesha's lawyer. She added that Dr. Luke's agreement to allow Kesha to record on his label without any of his involvement on her work "decimates your argument," adding that "I don't understand why I have to take the extraordinary measure of granting an injunction."

The ruling comes after a number of Kesha's fans gathered to protest outside the courthouse, but is notable in that the judge has yet to dismiss either Kesha's or Dr. Luke's motions. (He denies having sexually assaulted her, and the judge said that the lack of hospital records doesn't help the singer's case — never mind the fact that a fair percentage of sexual abuse cases aren't reported or checked out by medical professionals, often because victims feel unsafe in doing so.)

The original affidavit from Kesha's team stated that, because she can't put out new music if she doesn't work with Kemosabe Records, the singer's "brand value has fallen, and unless the Court issues this injunction, Kesha will suffer irreparable harm, plummeting her career past the point of no return."

Only time will tell if the judge decides to grant the singer the freedom she's been looking for since 2014. "I have nothing left to hide," she wrote on Instagram ahead of the hearing. "It's just so scary to have zero control in your fate. but this is my path this life for whatever reason."